An iconic Manchester hotel is set for a facelift — in order to make it safer in a fire.
The Marriott Manchester Hotel, on London Road near to Piccadilly Station, used to be known as the MacDonald Hotel. Visible from Mancunian Way, its curved form became iconic among visitors and Mancunians alike.
Now, bosses need to replace styrofoam panels with ‘mineral fiber panels’. It comes after a Fire Strategy was carried out in February of last year.
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The building was constructed in the 1960s, planning documents say. It was last refurbished for hotel use in 2007.
“The curving plan-form of the building has a strong sense of the rhythm and design,” the design and access statement says. “The building takes a pilotis form, with the upper floors of the building supported on a series of seemingly over-sized columns providing a robust visual rhythm.”
More detail of the changes is given in the statement. It goes on: “In order to meet current building control regulations, we are required to replace the existing 40mm Styrofoam panels with 120mm mineral fiber panels, with full fill insulation behind.
“Due to space restrictions to the rear of the existing panels, the panels are proposed to step out 80mm proud of the existing cladding plane. They will be fixed on all 4 sides via new capped curtain wall sections and finished in a colour to exactly match existing.”
In short, the document summarises, the ‘external changes will be very hard to see from the ground, the proposed cladding will improve fire safety for guests staying at the hotel’.
You can view the plans here or by searching '136499/FO/2023' on the Manchester City Council planning portal.
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